‘Hobbs and Shaw’ Trailer: The Rock and Statham Get Fast, Furious

What are the essential elements of a Fast & Furious movie? Not the actors; they made Tokyo Drift without any of the original cast and some fans think that’s the best one. Not the director; that’s changed many times too. Maybe the writer? Every movie since Tokyo Drift has been written by Chris Morgan and even though the new Fast & Furious Presents Hobbs & Shaw is missing Vin Diesel and appears to contains no drag racing heists, Morgan is here keeping everything connected.

Hobbs & Shaw is the first series spinoff (Tokyo Drift might technically qualify but it didn’t have any characters from the previous movies, except for a Diesel cameo.) It features Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Shaw and Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw on a mission to save the world from self-proclaimed “Black Superman” Idris Elba. (Looking at him in this movie, it’s hard to argue against the title.) Here’s the official synopsis:

Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Johnson), a loyal agent of America's Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw’s sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.

Even without some of the franchise staples, Hobbs & Shaw does definitely feel like a Fast & Furious movie. The stunts are insane and there’s plenty of chummy macho banter and high-minded talk about family. That’s the Chris Morgan touch, I guess. Hobbs & Shaw opens in theaters on August 2.